Detergent input quantity guiding apparatus of washing machine and method for guiding input quantity of detergent

ABSTRACT

A detergent input quantity guiding apparatus of a washing machine includes: a detergent box on which a detergent input quantity by levels for each virtual clothes amount that can be received in the washing machine is displayed; a clothes amount detecting unit that detects a clothes amount received in the washing machine; and a display unit that displays at least one of a clothes amount detected by the clothes amount detecting unit and a detergent quantity according to the detected clothes amount.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a washing machine and, moreparticularly, to a detergent input quantity guiding apparatus of awashing machine and a method for guiding an input quantity of adetergent.

2. Description of the Related Art

A washing machine is a device for washing the laundry by performingwashing, rinsing and draining by rotating a container within the laundryplaced therein.

In the related art washing machine, a user opens a detergent box andarbitrarily inputs a liquid detergent or the like by guess to performwashing. According to this method, an excessive quantity of detergentmay be inputted to the detergent box. The excessively inputted detergentmay degrade durability of the washing machine or make a bad influence onthe laundry.

Therefore, a device for informing a user about an input quantity of adetergent suitable for the laundry is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, in order to address the above matters the various featuresdescribed herein have been conceived. One aspect of the exemplaryembodiments is to provide a detergent input quantity guiding apparatusof a washing machine and a method for guiding an input quantity of adetergent, capable of informing a user about an input quantity of adetergent suitable for the laundry.

This specification provides a detergent input quantity guiding apparatusof a washing machine including: a detergent box on which a detergentinput quantity by levels for each virtual clothes amount that can bereceived in the washing machine is displayed; a clothes amount detectingunit that detects a clothes amount received in the washing machine; adisplay unit that displays at least one of a clothes amount detected bythe clothes amount detecting unit and a detergent quantity according tothe detected clothes amount; and a controller that calculates adetergent quantity according to the clothes amount detected by theclothes amount detecting unit, wherein the controller calculates a levelto which the clothes amount detected by the clothes amount detectingunit belongs, among the levels of the detergent input quantity accordingto each virtual clothes amount.

This specification also provides a detergent input quantity guidingapparatus of a washing machine, including: a detergent box on which adetergent input quantity by stages for each virtual clothes amount thatcan be received in the washing machine is displayed; a clothes amountdetecting unit that detects a clothes amount received in the washingmachine; and a controller that calculates a detergent quantity accordingto the clothes amount detected by the clothes amount detecting unit.

This specification also provides a method for guiding a detergent inputquantity of a washing machine, including: detecting, by a clothes amountdetecting unit, a clothes amount received in the washing machine;displaying, by a display unit, at least one of the detected clothesamount and a detergent quantity according to the detected clothesamount; and calculating, by a controller, a detergent quantity accordingto the clothes amount detected by the controller, wherein thecalculating of the detergent quantity comprises: determining, by thecontroller, a level to which the clothes amount detected by the clothesamount detecting unit belongs, among the predetermined levels of thedetergent input quantity according to each virtual clothes amount.

The detergent input quantity guiding apparatus of a washing machine andthe method for guiding a detergent input quantity according to thepresent invention has many advantages.

That is, the protrusive indicators indicating each detergent quantitysuitable for a virtual clothes amount is displayed within the detergentbox and at least one of a clothes amount detected by the clothes amountdetecting unit and a detergent quantity calculated by the controlleraccording to the detected clothes amount is displayed, whereby a usercan input the quantity of detergent suitable for the clothes amount andthe detergent quantity based on the displayed information and theprotrusive indicators. Thus, because the proper quantity of detergentcan be input according to the clothes amount, the durability of thewashing machine can be improved, and because the detergent cannot beexcessively inputted, the laundry can be prevented from being damaged.

In addition, the controller calculates a level of the clothes amountdirectly detected by the clothes amount detecting unit, among the levelsindicated by the protrusive indicators, and display information aboutthe calculated level on the display unit. Thus, the user can input thedetergent up to the calculated level of the protrusive indication in thedetergent box according to the displayed information, whereby he canprecisely input the detergent and thus the user convenience forinputting the detergent can be improved.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine employing a detergentinput quantity guiding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a detergent box employed in thedetergent input quantity guiding apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the detergent box employed in thedetergent input quantity guiding apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the detergent input quantityguiding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating the processes of a method forguiding a detergent input quantity according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A detergent input quantity guiding apparatus of a washing machine and amethod for guiding a detergent input quantity according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description,the detergent input quantity guiding apparatus of a washing machine anda method for guiding a detergent input quantity are applied to a drumtype washing machine, but it is merely an example and the detergentinput quantity guiding apparatus of a washing machine and a method forguiding a detergent input quantity can be also applicable to anautomatic washing machine.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine employing a detergentinput quantity guiding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a drum (not shown) is rotatably inserted in a mainbody 101 of a washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention. A front panel 102 and a top cover 104 areinstalled on front and upper surfaces of the main body 101. A controlpanel 103 is installed between the front panel 102 and the top cover 104and includes various manipulation keys, a display unit, etc.

Reference numeral 106 is a door which is rotatably hinge-combined to themain body 101 and opens and closes the drum.

A detergent box installation part 107 is formed at one side of thecontrol panel 103 of the main body 101 of the washing machine. Adetergent box 110 is insertedly positioned in the detergent boxinstallation part 107 such that it can be movable in an inward/outwarddirection.

In the washing machine 100 constructed as described above, washing maybe performed on the laundry received in the drum as a motor (not shown)installed in the washing machine is rotated.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a detergent box employed in thedetergent input quantity guiding apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a vertical sectionalview of the detergent box employed in the detergent input quantityguiding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, a space 112 for receiving a detergentis formed in the detergent container 110 according to the exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, a liquiddetergent is proposed to be received in the detergent box 110, and thedetergent box 110 may have a single space without barriers.

Protrusive indicators 120 are formed on one side wall of the detergentbox 110. The protrusive indicators 120 indicate the amount of detergentsuitable for clothes amount. In detail, the protrusive indicators 120are formed at positions corresponding to each level of a detergent inputquantity suitable for each virtual clothes amount.

The protrusive indicators 120 may be divided into a plurality of levels.In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the protrusiveindicators 120 may include first to fourth indicators 121 to 124.

The respective protrusive indicators 121 to 124 have different heightsh1 to h4 each indicating different detergent input quantity.

Because the detergent box 110 has the protrusive indicators eachindicating a proper detergent input quantity suitable for variousclothes amount, the user can apply a precise quantity of detergentaccording to a corresponding indicator.

The apparatus and method for proposing a detergent quantity suitable foran actual clothes amount inputted in the drum will now be described.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the detergent input quantityguiding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

With reference to FIG. 4, the detergent input quantity guiding apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes aclothes amount detecting unit 200, a controller 210 and a display unit220.

The clothes amount detecting unit 200 detects a clothes amount of thelaundry received in the drum. As the clothes amount detecting unit 200,a tilt detecting unit that detects the tilt of the drum according to theintroduction of the laundry may be used, or a method for detecting theclothes amount of the laundry received in the drum based on an inputvoltage applied to a motor according to phase controlling until an RPMof the motor reaches a pre-set value may be used. In addition, variousother methods can be also used.

The controller 210 may calculate a proper detergent quantity accordingto the clothes amount detected by the clothes amount detecting unit 200,and transmit corresponding information to the display unit 220. Thecontroller 210 may calculate a level of the clothes amount directlydetected by the clothes amount detecting unit 200, among the levels ofthe detergent input quantity according to a virtual clothes amountindicated by the respective protrusive indicators 120 formed on thedetergent box 110.

The display unit 220 may display at least one of the clothes amountdetected by the clothes amount detecting unit 200 and a detergentquantity calculated by the controller 210 according to the detectedclothes amount.

For user convenience, the display unit 220 may display the clothesamount detected by the clothes amount detecting unit 200 and thedetergent quantity calculated by the controller 210. The user may inputa suitable quantity of detergent according to the clothes amount anddetergent quantity by using the displayed information and the protrusiveindicators 120 of the detergent box 110.

In addition, the display unit 220 may display the level to which theclothes amount directly detected by the clothes amount detecting unit200 belongs, among the levels indicated by the protrusive indicators120. Then, the user can input the detergent into the detergent box 110up to the level indicated by the protrusive indicator 1120 correspondingto the displayed level, so the user convenience can be further improved.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating the processes of a method forguiding a detergent input quantity according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention.

The method for guiding a detergent input quantity according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described withreference to FIG. 5.

First, the clothes amount detecting unit 200 detects a clothes amount(S300).

Next, the controller 210 calculates a proper detergent quantityaccording to the clothes amount detected by the clothes amount detectingunit 200 (S310). In this case, if the display unit 220 displays only thedetected clothes amount, the detergent quantity calculating step S310may be omitted.

The information on the detected clothes amount and the calculateddetergent quantity are transmitted to the display unit 220.

Thereafter, the display unit 220 displays at least one of the detectedclothes amount and the calculated detergent quantity (S320). Asmentioned above, the controller 210 may determine a level to which theclothes amount directly detected by the clothes amount detecting unit200 belongs, among the levels indicated by the protrusive indicators 120formed on the detergent box 110, namely, the levels of the detergentinput quantity according to each virtual clothes amount, and the displayunit 220 may display the determined level to which the clothes amountdirectly detected by the clothes amount detecting unit 200 belongs amongthe levels according to the protrusive indicators 120.

The detergent input quantity guiding apparatus of a washing machine andthe method for guiding a detergent input quantity according to thepresent invention have many advantages.

That is, the protrusive indicators each indicating a detergent quantityfor virtual various clothes amounts are indicated at the interior of thedetergent box, and at least of one of the clothes amount detected by theclothes amount detecting unit and the detergent quantity calculated bythe controller according to the detected clothes amount is displayed.Thus, the user can input a proper quantity of detergent suitable for theclothes amount based on the displayed information. Accordingly, becausethe proper amount of detergent can be applied according to the clothesamount, the durability of the washing machine can be improved. Inaddition, a phenomenon that the laundry is damaged by an excessivelyapplied detergent can be prevented.

In addition, the controller may calculate a level to which the clothesamount directly detected by the clothes amount detecting unit among thelevels indicated by the protrusive indicators of the detergent box anddisplay the information about the calculated level on the display unit.Thus, the user can input the detergent into the detergent box by up tothe level of the protrusive indicator of the detergent box correspondingto the displayed level. Namely, the user can accurately input thedetergent, and thus, the user convenience can be improved.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understoodthat the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of thedetails of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, butrather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in theappended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fallwithin the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metesand bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

1. A detergent input quantity guiding apparatus of a washing machinecomprising: a detergent box on which a detergent input quantity bylevels for each virtual clothes amount that can be received in thewashing machine is displayed; a clothes amount detecting unit thatdetects a clothes amount received in the washing machine; a display unitthat displays at least one of a clothes amount detected by the clothesamount detecting unit and a detergent quantity according to the detectedclothes amount; and a controller that calculates a detergent quantityaccording to the clothes amount detected by the clothes amount detectingunit, wherein the controller calculates a level to which the clothesamount detected by the clothes amount detecting unit belongs, among thelevels of the detergent input quantity according to each virtual clothesamount.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display unit displays adetergent quantity corresponding to the level calculated by thecontroller.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display unitdisplays the detected clothes amount and the detergent quantityaccording to the detected clothes amount together.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the indicators are protruded from positionscorresponding to each level of the detergent input quantity according toeach virtual clothes amount.
 5. A method for guiding a detergent inputquantity of a washing machine, comprising: detecting, by a clothesamount detecting unit, a clothes amount received in the washing machine;displaying, by a display unit, at least one of the detected clothesamount and a detergent quantity according to the detected clothesamount; and calculating, by a controller, a detergent quantity accordingto the clothes amount detected by the controller, wherein thecalculating of the detergent quantity comprises: determining, by thecontroller, a level to which the clothes amount detected by the clothesamount detecting unit belongs, among the predetermined levels of thedetergent input quantity according to each virtual clothes amount. 6.The method of claim 5, wherein, in the displaying step, the detergentquantity corresponding to the level calculated by the controller isdisplayed on the display unit.